"The Age of Enlightenment or the Enlightenment, also known as the Age of Reason, was an intellectual and philosophical movement that occurred in Europe, especially Western Europe, in the 17th and 18th centuries, with global influences and effects."
The intellectual and philosophical movement that dominated the world of ideas in Europe, during the 18th century, in which thinkers sought to apply the principles of reason and scientific inquiry to all aspects of society, including government, religion, and education.
The Enlightenment: An Introduction: This topic covers the basics of the Enlightenment, including its origins, key figures, and defining characteristics.
The Scientific Revolution: The Scientific Revolution was a major precursor to the Enlightenment, and it involved a profound shift in understanding the world through empirical observation and experimentation.
Rationalism: Rationalism refers to the belief that reason and logic are the primary sources of knowledge and that the natural world can be understood through systematic observation and reason.
Empiricism: Empiricism is the belief that knowledge is derived from sensory experience and observation, as opposed to abstract reasoning or deduction.
Skepticism: Skepticism is the attitude of questioning or doubting claims or beliefs that are commonly accepted, particularly when they lack evidence or rational justification.
Humanism: Humanism is a philosophical and intellectual movement that focuses on the potential of human beings, particularly their capacity for reason, autonomy, and creativity.
Individualism: Individualism is the belief in the importance of the individual and their rights, freedoms, and autonomy, as opposed to collective or communal values.
Liberalism: Liberalism is a political and philosophical ideology that values individual rights, equality, democracy, and limited government.
Democracy: Democracy is a system of government in which power is held by the people, either directly or through elected representatives.
Secularism: Secularism is the separation of religion and government, and the promotion of non-religious values and beliefs in public life.
Enlightenment Ethics: Enlightenment thinkers developed a new ethical framework based on reason, empathy, and universalism, which emphasized the importance of individual rights, human dignity, and social justice.
Enlightenment Politics: The political theories of the Enlightenment focused on the problems and limitations of absolute monarchy and tyranny, and emphasized the importance of democracy, constitutionalism, and human rights.
Enlightenment Science: Enlightenment science was characterized by a commitment to empirical observation and experimentation, a dedication to the pursuit of knowledge for its own sake, and an openness to new ideas and discoveries.
Enlightenment Literature: The literature of the Enlightenment was characterized by a focus on reason, skepticism, individualism, and social critique, and included works in literature, philosophy, history, and political theory.
Enlightenment Art and Architecture: Enlightenment art and architecture reflected the values and ideals of the Enlightenment, including reason, clarity, simplicity, and rationality.
Enlightenment Religion: Enlightenment thinkers questioned traditional religious beliefs and promoted a more rational and humanistic understanding of the world and our place in it.
Enlightenment Education: Enlightenment education focused on the development of critical thinking skills, scientific knowledge, and civic responsibility, rather than rote memorization and dogmatic instruction.
Enlightenment Critiques of Society: Enlightenment critics of society analyzed the problems and limitations of existing social structures, and advocated for social and political reforms to promote greater equality, freedom, and justice.
Scientific Enlightenment: This movement held that science was the key to unlocking the secrets of the universe and improving society.
Political Enlightenment: This movement focused on reforming government and promoting individual rights and freedoms.
Cultural Enlightenment: This movement emphasized the importance of art, literature, and other cultural expressions in human society.
Religious Enlightenment: This movement sought to reconcile religious beliefs with reason and science, leading to new interpretations of religious texts and practices.
Social Enlightenment: This movement focused on improving social conditions for all members of society, including advocating for the abolition of slavery, the improvement of working conditions, and greater access to education and healthcare.
"The Enlightenment included a range of ideas centered on the value of human happiness, the pursuit of knowledge obtained by means of reason and the evidence of the senses, and ideals such as natural law, liberty, progress, toleration, fraternity, constitutional government, and separation of church and state."
"A variety of 19th-century movements, including liberalism, socialism, and neoclassicism, trace their intellectual heritage to the Enlightenment."
"The ideas of the Enlightenment undermined the authority of the monarchy and the Catholic Church and paved the way for the political revolutions of the 18th and 19th centuries."
"Philosophers and scientists of the period widely circulated their ideas through meetings at scientific academies, Masonic lodges, literary salons, coffeehouses, and in printed books, journals, and pamphlets."
"The Enlightenment was preceded by the Scientific Revolution and the work of Francis Bacon and John Locke, among others."
"European historians traditionally date its beginning with the death of Louis XIV of France in 1715 and its end with the 1789 outbreak of the French Revolution."
"Many historians now date the end of the Enlightenment as the start of the 19th century, with the latest proposed year being the death of Immanuel Kant in 1804."
"The central doctrines of the Enlightenment were individual liberty and religious tolerance, in opposition to an absolute monarchy and the fixed dogmas of the Church."
"The concepts of utility and sociability were also crucial in the dissemination of information that would better society as a whole."
"The Enlightenment was marked by an increasing awareness of the relationship between the mind and the everyday media of the world."
"The Enlightenment was marked by an emphasis on the scientific method and reductionism, along with increased questioning of religious orthodoxy."
"Some date the beginning of the Enlightenment to the publication of René Descartes' Discourse on the Method in 1637, featuring his famous dictum, Cogito, ergo sum ('I think, therefore I am')."
"Others cite the publication of Isaac Newton's Principia Mathematica (1687) as the culmination of the Scientific Revolution and the beginning of the Enlightenment."
"An attitude captured by Kant's essay Answering the Question: What is Enlightenment, where the phrase Sapere aude (Dare to know) can be found."
"The ideas of the Enlightenment undermined the authority of the monarchy and the Catholic Church and paved the way for the political revolutions of the 18th and 19th centuries."
"Ideals such as natural law, liberty, progress, toleration, fraternity, constitutional government, and separation of church and state."
"The concepts of utility and sociability were also crucial in the dissemination of information that would better society as a whole."
"Philosophers and scientists of the period widely circulated their ideas through meetings at scientific academies, Masonic lodges, literary salons, coffeehouses, and in printed books, journals, and pamphlets."
"A variety of 19th-century movements, including liberalism, socialism, and neoclassicism, trace their intellectual heritage to the Enlightenment."